RE: 'Snap' decisions may be just as effective as well-informed decisions
Of course there is a rationale for Powerpoint. As one of your commentators said, it's about the skill of the presenter, not the medium.
Decision making is a process - Powerpoint is a medium. Clearly, Powerpoint cannot make decisions nor, of itself, can it influence decisions for better or worse.
If the producer and presenter of a presentation are skilled and know their material, their tools, and their audience - they will use Powerpoint if it is appropriate to the type of material and message that they wish to convery - and *the particular phase of the process" of which the presentation is a part.
Powerpoint can be used for brain-storming, mind-mapping, fishbone analysis and any number of other techniques for harnessing and refining information, just as can a white-board, chalk-board or yellow pad and paper.
Presentations can begin with a blank slide and be created as you go; they can be fully prepared beforehand; or they can be something in between.
The 'Powerpoing Culture', is created by people who use it inappropriately and poorly. Unfortunately, most information today is conveyed by presenters who, although knowledgeable in their own fields, are people without pedagogical skills. They are neither conscious nor knowledgeable about teaching and learning and how to create an effective environment for it.
Unfortunately, because Powerpoint is a 'slick' interface, it is not hard to make complete gibberish appear to be a professional presentation. If there is a problem with using Powerpoint, it is this and not dissimilar to the phenomenon of blogs and web-sites which appear to have persuaded half the world's dimwits that they have something to say which is worth reading. Do we then decry the Internet because many use it poorly?
Yes, there is a Powerpoint culture and those within it are guilty of poor practice but don't blame the messenger, for in this case that is all that Powerpoint is.
roger
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